David Blaine - Illusions?

[toonerama]

I know David Blaine is a great illusionist. The sleight of hand stuff he does is breathtakingly skillful. But these new 'challenges' he does - are they 100% as they seem?

I refer to being buried alive and now his current stunt of being encased in solid ice for 3 days. Surely you would die. But from everything I've seen or read they appear completely genuine. What do you think?

[Kriss]

Magick and summoneing spirits to help him :).

[yojimbo]

I'm not to sure about his new stuff but you may like to read this. David Blain (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=26332)

[Homer]

Uh, hell, being encased in a block o' ice isn't that tough. Johnny Dare (98.9 The Rock) did it as a dare to raise monies for Children's Mercy (IIRC) in about 1993 or 94. Soon after I moved here, anyway.

Something about the igloo effect. Your body heat keeps the room warm but the ice keeps the walls intact. Water being a good insulator and all.

--Tim

[maralinn]

As far as I know, Blaine isn't *actually* claiming to be doing those things. It may sound like he is, but that's just stage talk. Uri Geller is the only illusionist I know of who claims that it's all "real."